2023 Toyota Crown SUV leaks, possibility for Australia

Patent images appearing to be the upcoming 2023 Toyota Crown have emerged online ahead of the car’s rumoured unveiling next month, confirming the model will bridge the gap between sedan and SUV.

Though Toyota hasn’t sold the Crown in Australia since 1988, the model has continued to be sold in Japan as a range of premium sedans, and has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity locally thanks to a recent change in personal importation rules.

However, Australia could soon see the Crown make a return. The Japanese car giant trademarked the Crown name and badge in Australia in recent months, providing some evidence of the model’s reintroduction.

Whispers out of Japan suggest Toyota is pivoting the Crown away from a three-box sedan body – which has fallen out of favour with buyers – instead adopting a liftback-like coupe SUV to make the vehicle more competitive against European models in international markets.

These images published by Design Watch and Predict Cars claim to be patent sketches for the upcoming Crown, which may end up being named the Crown Cross.

According to Japanese publication Best Car, the new Crown is 4930mm long – just 5mm shorter than the BMW X6, but is narrower and shorter than the German at 1840mm and 1540mm respectively.

While unconfirmed, Best Car reports the Crown SUV will be offered with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid engine with a CVT automatic, or a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid engine with a six-speed automatic.

Developed on the company’s TNGA-K platform, all-wheel-drive and front-wheel-drive variants are said to be coming along with a future plug-in hybrid.

If the Crown does make it to Australia, the model is expected to be offered as a premium alternative with plenty of tech and features, sitting somewhere between the Kluger and Prado in the current line-up.

The 2023 Toyota Crown is rumoured to be making its debut on 15 July 2022. Stay tuned to Drive for all the latest.